BBC Picks Up New Zealand Cult Doc ‘Escaping Utopia’; Keshet International Unscripted Hire; Erik De Winter Joins ‘Destination X’ Seller; UFA Reorganizes Hungary Division; All3 Books True Crime Deals – Global Briefs
BBC Picks Up New Zealand Cult Doc ‘Escaping Utopia’
The BBC has picked up a premium doc series on a group of people’s clandestine escape from a New Zealand cult. Escaping Utopia is a three-part investigation into Gloriavale Christian Community – New Zealand’s extreme religious cult – and the true stories of people attempting to break free. Fifth Season has sold the series to the BBC along with MTV OY (Finland), SVT (Sweden), NRK (Norway), DR (Denmark) and Movistar Plus+ (Spain). Featuring newly-revealed information, the series from Warner Bros. International Television Production New Zealand documents the intricate planning that went into escapes from Gloriavale – with access to its inner workings, the unravelling of its leadership and the pursuit of justice by a passionate and dedicated resistance movement gaining momentum outside. Jennifer Ebell, Fifth Season’s EVP, EMEA Sales and Acquisitions, said: “Escaping Utopia is a brilliantly crafted series with exclusive inner access on a current and evolving situation, which expertly digs into the psychology of Gloriavale and leaves audiences with a deeper understanding of this closed community. The series had a remarkable response in New Zealand and immediately captivated viewers, so we look forward to now bringing this landmark story of survival to the UK and new international audiences.”
More from Deadline
Keshet International Snaps Up Unscripted Development Exec From Armoza
Keshet International (KI) has snapped up an unscripted development exec from Armoza Formats. Nehama Cohen joins the Israeli outfit in the newly-created role of SVP of Development & Network, Non-Scripted. Reporting into CEO Keren Shahar, Cohen will be responsible for creating and developing original unscripted formats for KI, alongside the international roll-out and adaptation of formats within the global distributor’s catalog such as Dear Neighbors and The Hit List. She will work with unscripted hubs across the group including third parties like France’s Satisfaction Group, with which Keshet has a creative alliance. Cohen was formerly Chief Creative Officer at Armoza Formats but started her career at Keshet Broadcasting, joining as Acquisitions Executive in 1999. “I am thrilled that Nehama has chosen to return to the Keshet family,” said Shahar. “Her appointment reinforces Keshet International’s renewed focus on our non-scripted formats’ strategy, as a developer, producer and distributor of global content.”
‘Destination X’ Distributor Be-Entertainment Signs Business Development Director
Destination X distributor Be-Entertainment has hired a Business Development Director. In the newly-created role, Erik de Winter will be responsible for the expansion of the Belgian outfit by sourcing international IP, exploring broader opportunities and fostering international sales of both new and existing titles from the Be-Entertainment catalog. He has previously worked at Endemol, Talpa and Disney across two decades. “We are at a pivotal moment in Be-Entertainment’s journey, and with Erik on board, we’re set on a path of substantial growth and exploration of new business opportunities,” said Be-Entertainment MD Gepke Nederlof. “His extensive experience and wide-reaching network across the media industry, along with his entrepreneurial spirit, make him ideally suited to propel our expansion forward.”
UFA Reorganizes Hungary Division
Fremantle’s German production business UFA is reorganizing its Hungarian operation as part of a plan to expand in the Eastern European country. Ute Biernat and Emese ács have been named as new management at the unit, which has dropped former identity UFA Magyarország in favor of UFA Produkció. UFA’s Hungarian arm is known for entertainment shows, and management says it will move forwards intending to “diversify in-house development of these,” while also pushing into international co-productions for the first time by offering Hungary as a production hub. “Following the recent foundation of UFA Mitte and the concomitant expansion of our activities in central Germany, we are now also setting the course for growth in Hungary,” said Sascha Schwingel, CEO of UFA. “I am delighted that Emese ács, a well-connected and experienced local expert, and Ute Biernat, who most recently played a key role in driving the growth of our Hungarian production subsidiary, will be taking on this new role together as a strong duo. UFA Magyarország launched back in 1997 and launched Hungarian television’s longest running series, Barátok K?tz. A non-fiction unit was established in 2015 and has gone on to make local versions of The X Factor, The Voice and The Masked Singer. This year, it has produced The Apprentice Season 2, Farmer Wants a Wife Season 7, Hole in the Wall Season 2 and The X Factor Season 12 for RTL, Password for TV2 and Hit the Road for Viasat3.
All3 Books Raw True Crime Deals
All3Media International has exited MIPCOM with a batch of sales for true crime programs from Don’t F**k with Cats producer Raw. Sky Documentaries series The Body Next Door is headed to Stan in Australia, TVNZ in New Zealand, Now TV in Hong Kong and TV2 in Denmark. The three-part doc made in association with All3Media International reveals a macabre discovery that trust a sleepy Welsh Valleys village into the spotlight. Dead in the Water, initially produced for Prime Video in several territories, has sold to BritBox in the U.S., Dr in Denmark and Now TV. Multi-territory deals have been struck with Canal+ for France and French-speaking territories and with Sky Deutschland for first windows in Germany, Austria, German-speaking Luxembourg and Switzerland. ZDF has taken second window rights in Germany for ZDFinfo. The doc looks into the murders of Chris Farmer and Peta Frampton, whose bodies were discovered in Guatemala in 1978, and the decades-long search for their killer.
Best of Deadline
Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.